Can I Skip the Shadowlands Campaign for Dragonflight?

The short answer is "no, you cannot completely skip the Shadowlands campaign when preparing alts for Dragonflight". However, with Threads of Fate now active again in the Dragonflight PTR, you can bypass large portions of it by hitting level 60 first.

But to gain access to the Dragon Isles, your character still needs to complete the intro Shadowlands questline through entering the Maw.

So while skipping the entire Shadowlands storyline won‘t be possible, this guide covers multiple time-saving strategies to streamline the transition process.

Whether you are a new player with alts or a WoW veteran looking to optimize leveling, this article has you covered.

Do I Have to Finish Shadowlands Before Starting Dragonflight?

Blizzard designed Dragonflight so new players can jump right into the expansion without needing to complete older ones first.

But that doesn‘t mean veteran players with max-level characters can completely ignore Shadowlands either.

Here is a comparison of the requirements to enter Dragonflight based on character status:

So while new players can bypass previous expansions and begin Dragonflight early, existing characters still need to progress Shadowlands to a point before gaining access.

According to Ion Hazzikostas, that mandatory intro Shadowlands campaign will take the average player 90-120 minutes. For the sake of time, you‘ll want to push through it as quickly as possible.

But what about alts you haven‘t touched yet in Shadowlands? Can they skip it?

How To Skip Shadowlands Campaign on Fresh Level 60 Alts

The key to bypassing Shadowlands on fresh alts is reaching level 60 first before ever entering the expansion. This triggers a system called Threads of Fate, allowing you to immediately pick a Covenant.

Based on PTR testing, characters that activate Threads of Fate can then enter Dragonflight zones after completing the intro Shadowlands campaign and Maw sections.

Here are the steps:

1. Reach level 60 on your alt via previous expansions
2. Complete intro Shadowlands quests up to the Maw (est. 1.5 hours)
3. Select Threads of Fate and instantly pick a Covenant
4. Complete Maw introduction (est. 30 minutes)
5. Enter Dragonflight zones with no restrictions!

Compared to playing through the entire 25+ hour Shadowlands campaign first, this saves significant time.

And based on exp rates in the new expansion, you can complete Dragonflight in under 20 hours, making this whole process even faster.

So get your alts to 60 ASAP using Chromie Time, then take advantage of Threads of Fate!

Tip: Leveling in Dragonflight is MUCH faster than Shadowlands, so focus alt leveling there once available.

But can you save even more time leveling alts by skipping intro Shadowlands quests too? Let‘s explore.

Attempting to Bypass All Shadowlands Content

Many players have tried finding ways to completely bypass ALL Shadowlands content in order to focus 100% on Dragonflight.

But unfortunately Blizzard has made the intro Shadowlands campaign mandatory.

People have tested using Party Sync and other methods, but found core systems blocked without doing it:

• Dragonriding & glyphs in Dragon Isles unavailable
• Access to dungeons, world quests, etc. restricted
• Threads of Fate option doesn‘t even appear

So while almost the entire 50+ hour Shadowlands main questline can be skipped, players MUST still complete the intro campaign and Maw sections before gaining full access to Dragonflight systems.

Don‘t waste time trying to bypass it entirely! Just power through, then you‘ll have freedom.

When the Full Shadowlands Campaign Becomes Required in Dragonflight

While saving the full Shadowlands storyline for later is possible, you eventually need to complete it to unlock key pieces of content:

• Flying – finishing the campaign in each zone needed to earn flying ability and increased mount speed
• Torghast Upper Wings & Twisting Corridors – must progress campaign to enter higher layers
• Story Achievements like Back from Beyond meta-achievement

So don‘t feel pressured to complete it immediately… but expect to revisit it if you care about flying, cosmetics, heritage armor, etc.

My recommendation is focusing 100% on Dragonflight first with your alts. Come back to wrap up Shadowlands later.

Dragonflight Leveling vs Shadowlands – Which Is Faster for Alts?

When prioritizing alt leveling, target the faster expansion first. And right now, that is clearly Dragonflight.

Based on early testing, Dragonflight‘s world, quest, and dungeons flow faster plus provide more ways to earn bonus exp:

• More bonus objectives awarding chunk exp
• Faster quest completion speed
• Better gear rewards while leveling
• Access to LFG dungeon finder groups

So you save anywhere from 5-15+ hours leveling Dragonflight over Shadowlands. Get your alts into the Dragon Isles ASAP!

1. Complete the intro Shadowlands campaign & Maw section to unlock Dragonflight access
2. Use Threads of Fate on existing 60s to skip the rest of Shadowlands campaign
3. Level fresh alts to 60 ASAP via Chromie Time
4. Focus leveling alts in the faster Dragonflight zones first
5. Return later to clean up Shadowlands for cosmetics, achievements, heritage armor, etc.

I hope this guide clears up what Shadowlands content is required – and can be skipped – as you level alts and transition fully into Dragonflight. Reach out with any other questions!